South Dakota State University has received more than $1 million in funding for "climate-smart" projects, according a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant announcement.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the department awarded $40 million to 31 conservation projects across the U.S. through its Conservation Innovation Grants program. Iowa State University, one of the recipients, hosted Vilsack at its campus on Thursday.
SDSU received about $1.28 million in funding for a project entitled, "Overcoming Climate Smart Adoption Barriers by Demonstrating the Value of Linking No-Tillage, Cover Crops, and Enhanced N Management into a Single System."
The project is focused on overcoming barriers in implementing climate-smart ag practices, including no-till farming, planting cover crops, and utilizing smart fertilizer technologies, in South Dakota, according to the CIG recipient release.
The release states adoption of no-tillage and cover crops is "often very low" in South Dakota's subhumid, frigid soils. In order to overcome this agricultural barrier, the project aims to utilize progressive farming measures to reduce the risk of planting delays and yield losses in these harder-to-farm lands.
"Addressing climate change is a tremendous challenge, but agriculture plays an important role, and we’re grateful for our many partners who are helping us confront the challenge head on. These new projects and agreements are working to mitigate climate change, conserve and protect our water, enhance soil health and create economic opportunities for producers,” Vilsack said in a release. "We’re empowering our partners to develop new tools, technologies and strategies to support next-generation conservation efforts on working lands and develop cost-effective solutions to resource challenges."
Source: argusleader.com
Photo Credit: pexels-karolina-grabowska
Categories: South Dakota, Government & Policy